Emissions from fuel used for international aviation and maritime transport (international bunker
fuels)

Background

Emissions from fuel used for international aviation and maritime transport have
been addressed under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) process
since the first meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP). At its first meeting in 1995 (Berlin,
Germany, March/April 1995), the COP requested the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological
Advice (SBSTA) and the Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI) to address the issue of allocation
and control of emissions from international bunker fuels and to report on this work to COP 2
(Decision 4/CP.1).

In response to this request, emissions from fuel used for international aviation and maritime
transport have been continuously addressed under the SBSTA (more >>).
In addition the Kyoto Protocol
addresses emissions from fuel used for international aviation and maritime transport in
its Article 2, paragraph 2. Article 2.2 of the Kyoto Protocol states that the Parties included
in Annex I shall pursue limitation or reduction of emissions of greenhouse gas emissions not
controlled by the Montreal Protocol from aviation and marine bunker fuels, working through the
International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the International Maritime Organization (IMO),
respectively.

In accordance with the IPCC Guidelines for the preparation of greenhouse gas (GHG) inventories and the UNFCCC
reporting guidelines on annual inventories, emissions from international aviation and maritime
transport (also known as international bunker fuel emissions) should be calculated as part of the
national GHG inventories of Parties, but should be excluded from national totals and reported
separately. These emissions are not subject to the limitation and reduction commitments of Annex I
Parties under the Convention and the Kyoto Protocol.

At its thirteenth session (Bali, Indonesia, December 2007), the COP instructed the Ad Hoc Working
Group on Long-term Cooperative Action under the Convention (AWG-LCA) to develop its work programme at
its first session in a coherent and integrated manner, and invited Parties to submit to the
secretariat their views regarding the work programme. International bunker fuels has been a subject
of discussions under the AWG-LCA in the context of paragraph 1b(iv) of the Bali Action Plan,
cooperative sectoral approaches and sector-specific actions. In this context, various options have
been put forward for discussions by Parties (more>>).

Recent developments under the UNFCCC process

SBSTA

The SBSTA at its thirty-ninth meeting (Warsaw, Poland, November 2013), noted the
information received from the secretariats of ICAO and IMO on their relevant work and invited them to
report, at future sessions of the SBSTA, on the outcomes of their work on this issue (FCCC/SBSTA/2013/5,
paragraphs 91–94).

The SBSTA at its thirty-eight meeting (Bonn, Germany, June 2013), noted the
information received from the secretariats of ICAO and IMO on their relevant work and invited them to
report, at future sessions of the SBSTA, on the outcomes of their work on this issue (FCCC/SBSTA/2013/3,
paragraphs 125–128).

The SBSTA at its thirty-seventh meeting (Doha, Qatar,
November/December 2012), noted the information received from the secretariats of ICAO and IMO on
their relevant work and invited them to report, at future sessions of the SBSTA, on the outcomes of
their work on this issue (FCCC/SBSTA/2012/5,
paragraphs 93-96).

The SBSTA at its thirty-sixth meeting (Bonn, Germany, May
2012), noted the information received from the secretariats of ICAO and IMO on their relevant work
and invited them to report, at future sessions of the SBSTA, on the outcomes of their work on this
issue (FCCC/SBSTA/2012/2,
paragraphs 82-85).

The SBSTA at its thirty-fifth meeting (Durban, South
Africa, November/December 2011), noted the information received from the secretariats of ICAO
and IMO on their relevant work and invited them to report, at future sessions of the SBSTA, on the
outcomes of their work on this issue (FCCC/SBSTA/2011/5,
paragraphs 58 - 60).

At the second part of the fifteenth session of the AWG-LCA,
Parties continued their work on cooperative sectoral approaches and sector-specific actions (agenda
item 3biv). Throughout the meeting, Parties could not bridge their diverging views on how to address
cooperative sectoral approaches and sector specific actions, including emissions from international
aviation and maritime transport. The proposed compromise text by the chair of the AWG-LCA (FCCC/AWGLCA/2012/L.4)
was rejected by Parties which is why the agenda item on sectoral approaches is not part of Decision
1/CP.18,
the agreed outcome pursuant to the Bali Action Plan.

At the fifteenth session of the AWG-LCA (Bonn, Germany, May
2012), Parties continued their work on cooperative sectoral approaches and sector-specific actions
(agenda item 3biv) on the basis of decision 2/CP.17,
paragraphs 74 and 78, which includes the work on emissions from international bunker fuels. Work on
this agenda item is captured in the
report by the facilitator to the LCA Contact Group.

At the resumed fourteenth session of the AWG-LCA (AWG-LCA 14-4) in Durban (South
Africa, November/December 2011) international bunker fuels was negotiated under AWG-LCA agenda item
3.2.4 (Sectoral approaches) together with a general framework for sectoral approaches and
agriculture. The negotiations on emissions from international bunker fuels started on basis of the
Facilitator’s note that included the options from the AWG-LCA 14-3 session in
Panama. Parties could agree on a way forward for the AWG-LCA agenda item 3.2.4 and agreed to include
a text on this agenda item in the Outcome of the work of the AWG-LCA (p.14, paragraphs 74-78). For international aviation
and maritime transport, the Conference of the Parties agreed to continue its consideration of issues
related to addressing emissions from international aviation and maritime transport (p. 14, paragraph
78).

During the third part of the fourteenth meeting of the AWG-LCA (Panama City,
Panama, October 2011), Parties further elaborated on different options how to address emissions
from international aviation and maritime transport under the UNFCCC process. Nine different options
address are captured in the
Facilitator’s note (166 kB) .

At the second part of the fourteenth meeting of the AWG-LCA (Bonn, Germany, June
2011), Parties agreed to address international bunker fuels under AWG-LCA agenda item 3.2.4 and
brought forward six options on how to address emissions from international aviation and maritime
transport under the UNFCCC process. These options are reflected in: ‘
note by the facilitator (155 kB) ’.

At the first part of the fourteenth meeting of the AWG-LCA
(Bangkok, Thailand, April 2011), Parties adopted an agenda according to the structure of the Bali
Action Plan, which also included cooperative sectoral approaches and sector-specific actions under
agenda item 3.2.4 (FCCC/AWGLCA/2011/L.1).

The COP with its decisions
4/CP.1, 18/CP.5, Article 2.2 of the
Kyoto Protocol as well as the SBSTA with a number of decisions (more >>) are recognizing the
important role of ICAO and IMO in limiting and reducing GHG emissions from fuel used for international
aviation and maritime transport and highlight the importance of cooperation between ICAO, IMO and the
UNFCCC secretariat.

The UNFCCC secretariat maintains close relations with the secretariats of ICAO and IMO. Cooperation
between the three organizations is based on an efficient reciprocal exchange of information. The
secretariats of ICAO and IMO have been continuously providing reports and information on relevant work
to the SBSTA and organized several expert meetings to address methodological issues relating to the
estimation, compilation and reporting of GHG emissions data from international aviation and maritime
transport (more
information provided by the secretariats of ICAO and IMO).

International Civil Aviation Organization
ICAO is the specialized agency of the United Nations to promote the safe and orderly development of
international civil aviation throughout the world. It sets standards and regulations necessary for
aviation safety, security, efficiency and regularity, as well as for aviation environmental protection.
Addressing climate change forms a vital element of the work of ICAO's Environment Branch (more on ICAO's activities to address
global climate change).

International Maritime Organization
IMO is the United Nations specialized agency with responsibility for the safety and security of
shipping and the prevention of marine pollution by ships. The Marine Environment Protection Committee
(MEPC) is IMO's senior technical body on marine pollution related matters. The limitation and
reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from international shipping forms a vital element of the
work of IMO's Marine Environment Division (moreon
IMO's activities to address global climate change).